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Two Illinois Right-Handers Selected in MLB Draft

Two Illinois right-handed pitchers -- Tyler Schmitt and Julius Sanchez -- were selected on Monday on Day Two of the MLB Draft.
Jared Shlensky|
Jun 1, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Nick Mingione shakes hands with Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Dan Hartleb after the game at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Jun 1, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Nick Mingione shakes hands with Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Dan Hartleb after the game at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniSan Diego PadresTexas RangersTampa Bay Rays

So much for team success transferring over to the MLB Draft.

Illinois went 35-21 last season and had only one player -- Jack Crowder -- drafted. But despite finishing with five fewer wins this year, the Illini had two players-- Tyler Schmitt and Julius Sanchez, both of whom are pitchers, drafted on day two of Monday's MLB Draft.

Schmitt was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 17th round (520th overall), and Sanchez was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 18th round (535th overall).

In his first season with Illinois after transferring from Division III Wisconsin-La Crosse, Schmitt went 5-2 with a 4.80 ERA and led the Illini pitching staff in starts (15), innings pitched (80.2), and strikeouts (58).

Schmitt also pitched well in arguably the best summer collegiate wooden bat league -- the Cape Cod Baseball League -- after posting a 3.86 ERA in two starts with the Brewster Whitecaps.

In three seasons at Illinois, Sanchez went 2-5 with a 6.58 ERA in 29 games (14 starts), and as a junior this spring finished 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts. In 16 innings, Sanchez struck out 17 batters while allowing just 16 hits and three walks.

Both pitchers have another year of eligibility, and with how much student athletes are making via NIL, we wouldn't be totally surprised if either Schmitt or Sanchez choose to return to Champaign for their senior year.

Passing on an MLB team that drafts you is a risk and potentially delays your Big League dreams by at least a year, but considering how difficult it is to get to The Show, if the NIL money is a lot more than the respective signing bonus, both might not have such a hard time saying no.

And Schmitt and Sanchez weren't the only two players Illinois could be without for next season, as signees Ike Young and Jack Wheeler were drafted out of high school on Monday.

Young was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 20th round out of Monticello High School, and Wheeler was selected by the Rangers in the sixth round out of Morris High School.

Wheeler's signing bonus is expected to be around $375,000, so don't be surprised if he turns pro, but - and this is all total speculation - depending on what kind of NIL deal Young has in store, he could still wind up in Champaign if the signing bonus money isn't there.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

The Good, the Bad and the Injured: Kasparas Jakucionis' Summer League Rollercoaster

Predicting Illinois Basketball's Leaders in Major Statistical Categories

Illinois Commit Mihailo Petrovic Still Missing From Roster: What It Means

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Jared Shlensky
JARED SHLENSKY

Jared Shlensky is a contributing writer for On SI and a freelance play-by-play broadcaster. Jared was previously a sports betting writer for Yardbarker, an On-Air YouTube Personality for the Sports Geek and a minor league play-by-play broadcaster.

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